On March 5, 2012, Juab High School had their annual bridge-breaking contest. Mr. Spencer said, “The bridge contest did really well this year. The bridges held more this year than they have in a long time.” 

Every year we always hear the same thing from students. How much they hate the bridges and how it shouldn’t be a fair way to judge how you know math. However, if we think about it, then what is a fair way to judge how someone knows math? 

The traditional way to do math is learning a topic, studying it, and then taking a sit down test on that topic. However, this way may not be a fair way to judge as well. Everybody has a different way of learning, and we all learn our own way. Some people are not good at test taking. They study really hard, they know the material, and then they don’t do really well on the test. They may not do well on a sit down test, but, on the other hand, they may be excellent at things with their hands. This is where the Bridge breaking contest comes in. This event allows other kids to show in a different way that they know how to do math. Mrs. Sutorius stated, “The bridge contest gives practical application of math.” We all have heard the statement, “When are we ever going to use this in our lives.” Well, the bridge contest shows students a way of how math can and is used in everyday life. Sutorius also stated, “It teaches precision, measurement, and accuracy of putting something together neatly. Some students are not great at doing math on just a worksheet, and they are better at building things. With the Bridge Contest, the math comes alive. It shows those kids that feel they are not good math be good at math in another way.” 

In the traditional way of taking a math test, I may get 75% on it. However the bridge contest weighs on a grade like a test. Therefore, if my bridge breaks the right way, and holds the right amount, I automatically get 100% for that test, and it would help my third quarter grade. That is another way the bridge-breaking contest may be good. 

I personally feel that the bridge contest is a helpful and good assignment to do. Yes, I have felt what every other student has felt before; it’s a waste of time and does not teach me math. However, if I think about why we really do the bridge contest, it becomes clear that it is a worthwhile thing to do. It teaches a different way to do math, allows a different way of learning, and helps us in the long run.